{"id":665,"date":"2011-06-27T16:15:25","date_gmt":"2011-06-27T20:15:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.slammie.com\/atomicgrog\/blog\/?p=665"},"modified":"2026-01-07T22:43:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T03:43:15","slug":"the-rum-barrel-the-rodney-dangerfield-of-tropical-drinks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.slammie.com\/atomicgrog\/blog\/2011\/06\/27\/the-rum-barrel-the-rodney-dangerfield-of-tropical-drinks\/","title":{"rendered":"Mai-Kai cocktail review: The Barrel O’ Rum is the Rodney Dangerfield of tropical drinks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated January 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
\nNEW TRIBUTE RECIPE<\/b><\/span>
\nChristmas Barrel<\/a><\/strong> from the 2025 Christmas menu.<\/p>\n

UPDATES BELOW ARE FROM BEFORE THE NOVEMBER 2024 REOPENING<\/em><\/p>\n

Updated May 2024<\/em>
\nSee below:<\/b> Barrel O’ Rum review<\/a> | Ancestor recipe<\/a> | Official recipe<\/a> | Tribute recipe<\/a>
\n• How to make the Barrel O’ Rum (video)<\/a>
\n• Christmas Barrel review and tribute<\/a>
\nPostscript:<\/strong> The Rum Barrel on social media<\/a>
\nRelated:<\/b> Mai-Kai cocktail guide<\/a><\/p>\n

Don The Beachcomber had the Zombie<\/a> Trader Vic had the Mai Tai<\/a>. While South Florida’s iconic Mai-Kai has many cocktails worthy of classic status, it’s the mighty Barrel O’ Rum that has become the historic landmark’s signature drink, and one of the most underrated tropical drinks in history.<\/p>\n

\"Barrel<\/a>
Barrel O’ Rum (The Mai-Kai photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sure, it’s hugely popular. Just wind your way through The Molokai bar during any busy happy hour and you’ll see more Barrels than oil companies have lost in the Gulf. Among the general public and popular media, the Barrel O’ Rum and The Mai-Kai<\/a> are synonymous.<\/p>\n

But among the cocktail intelligentsia, the Barrel just doesn’t quite measure up. What gives? Come on guys, this is a great drink. A deceptively deadly celebration of rum and citrus that manages to be both simple and complex. This is a work of art courtesy of The Mai-Kai’s inimitable mixologist, Mariano Licudine<\/a>, who took an often muddled concept and perfected it for the thirsty, rum-swilling masses during Tiki’s heyday. More than a half century later, it’s a timeless classic, often copied, never duplicated.<\/p>\n

\"Barrel<\/a>
It’s not unusual to see the Barrel O’ Rum served en masse. (The Mai-Kai photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As Rodney Dangerfield (who probably drank many Barrels in his day) would say, the Rum Barrel just don’t get no respect.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, who needs respect? The Barrel’s lowbrow appeal is what makes it the classic that it is. It’s the drink for the everyman (and woman). As Rodney so eloquently put it: “My doctor told me to watch my drinking. Now I drink in front of a mirror.” <\/a><\/p>\n

**************************<\/strong><\/div>\n

The official menu description<\/font><\/i><\/p>\n

\"Barrel<\/a><\/p>\n

BARREL O’ RUM<\/b><\/p>\n

Smugglers, pirates and rum runners took their pleasures with this spirituous libation, bold and big, but rightfully smooth.<\/p>\n

Okole Maluna Society review and rating<\/b><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Mai-Kai's Barrel O' Rum, June 2011. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Size:<\/b> Large<\/p>\n

Potency:<\/b> Strong<\/p>\n

Flavor profile:<\/b> Dark rum, lime juice, passion fruit, bitters<\/p>\n

Our take:<\/b> An explosion of rums and juices in a prefect marriage of sweet and sour, strong and bitter.<\/p>\n

Rating:<\/b> 4 out of 5 stars (see how it ranks)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ancestry:<\/b> A variation on the original rum barrel popularized by Don the Beachcomber<\/a> and other early Tiki establishments, this classic has been on the menu since The Mai-Kai’s opening in 1956. It was created by Mariano Licudine (1907-1980), who based The Mai-Kai menu on all the prototypes he’d been making during his years working for Donn Beach (1939-1955). He retired in 1979 after 23 years at The Mai-Kai.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Bilge:<\/b> This is the drink the local press always spotlights when reviewing The Mai-Kai or compiling lists of the best South Florida signature cocktails. It’s also The Mai-Kai’s most popular and iconic mug, a top-seller in The Mai-Kai Trading Post<\/a> gift shop. The Barrel O’ Rum was imortalized in song in 2011 by Florida’s Crazed Mugs on the album Find Forbidden Island<\/a><\/em>. You can find Rum Barrel<\/em> on all the major streaming services.<\/p>\n

\"Grandfather<\/a>
The Mai-Kai's Grandfather Barrel, April 2011. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

RUM BARREL VARIATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n

* See our review and recipe for the Christmas Barrel below<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

GRANDFATHER BARREL<\/I> (4 stars) – An off-menu, premium version of the Barrel O’ Rum, the Grandfather Barrel was often made with top-shelf aged rums and carried a higher price tag. It was originally composed of “aged Barrels,” meaning leftover batched cocktails that were not used at special events or for takeout. Surprisingly, the result is a uniquely tasty concoction. The juices and rums mingle over several days, mellowing the citrus bite and creating a richer drink. This version gained newfound appeal during the 2020 pandemic and the introduction of “Gallons to Go” for guests to pick up<\/a> and enjoy in their own home bars. It’s unclear if either version will return when The Mai-Kai reopens from its multimillion-dollar restoration<\/a> (2020-2024), but it will be interesting to find out.<\/p>\n

COCONUT BARREL<\/i> (3 1\/2 stars) – If you or someone in your dining party prefers flavored rum, we recommend the Coconut Barrel as a viable alternative. Featuring a hefty 4 ounces of coconut rum, this Barrel has a sweeter flavor profile and lacks the funky rum flavor of the original, but it still retains the bite of the bitters and sour juices as a counter balance. Rum brands vary based on availability, but The Mai-Kai has been good about seeking out higher-end products and avoiding the bottom shelf.<\/p>\n

The Mai-Kai will also make a Barrel with vodka (see below), tequila or bourbon upon request. While these are interesting novelties, we recommend sticking with rum, if possible. (Note that Beachbum Berry’s Taboo Table<\/i> incorrectly referred to the bourbon version as a “Grandfather Barrel.”)<\/p>\n

RAINBOW BARREL <\/i> (2 1\/2 stars) – This vodka version of the Barrel is the most popular of the variations using other spirits. It’s ether an abomination (according to rum fanciers) or the best vodka drink you’ll ever taste. It’s probably neither of those things, but we see no real reason to drink this unless you have a legitimate rum allergy. The great flavors of the rums are stripped away, leaving a very good vodka-based fruit drink but nothing worthy of the great Mai-Kai tropical drink legacy. We were told once that three different Absolut vodkas were used in the Rainbow Barrel, but we’re still not sold on its worth.<\/p>\n

Agree or disagree? Share your reviews and comments below!<\/b>
\n

<\/div> <\/a><\/p>\n
**************************<\/strong><\/div>\n
\"Don<\/a>
Don the Beachcomber’s Rum Barrel by The Atomic Grog. Mug from Foundation, Milwaukee. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, April 2024)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

ANCESTOR RECIPE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beachcomber’s Rum Barrel<\/strong>
\n(From Beachbum Berry’s Sippin’ Safari<\/em><\/a>)<\/p>\n

    \n
  • 2 ounces aged Demerara rum<\/li>\n
  • 1 ounce light Puerto Rican rum<\/li>\n
  • 1 ounce gold Jamaican rum<\/li>\n
  • 1 ounce fresh lime juice<\/li>\n
  • 1 ounce grapefruit juice<\/li>\n
  • 1 ounce orange juice<\/li>\n
  • 1 ounce unsweetened pineapple juice<\/li>\n
  • 1 ounce honey mix<\/li>\n
  • 1 teaspoon falernum<\/li>\n
  • 1 teaspoon pimento dram<\/li>\n
  • 6 drops (1\/8 teaspoon) Pernod or Herbsaint<\/li>\n
  • 6 drops (1\/8 teaspoon) grenadine<\/li>\n
  • 1 dash Angostura bitters<\/li>\n
  • 8 ounces (1 cup) crushed ice<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Put everrything into a blender, saving ice for last. Blend at high speed for no more than 5 seconds. Pour into a ceramic rum barrel. Add ice cubes to fill.<\/p>\n

    As served at Don the Beachcomber, Las Vegas, circa 1965. From the personal papers of bartender Hank Riddle.<\/p>\n

    A very similar version, if not the exact recipe, has been served by the author and cocktail historian at his New Orleans bar, Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29<\/a>, since it opened in 2014.<\/p>\n

    \"The<\/a>
    The Rum Barrel at Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach, Fla. (Photo by Ran Mosessco \/ February 2024)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    The new Don the Beachcomber<\/a> restaurant chain also features a reverential Rum Barrel on the menu of its first new location in Madeira Beach in southwest Florida. Created by beverage director Marie King<\/a> based on the original recipe, this modern version perfectly balances a recpect for the past with a more accessible approach for the broad audience expected to frequent the new restaurants.
    \n* Related:     Don the Beachcomber grand opening in Florida is a smashing success<\/a><\/p>\n

    Tasting notes<\/B><\/p>\n

    The sweet, sour and spice notes all work in harmony, making for an extremely drinkable and delicious cocktail. The proto-Barrel that set the standard for all others.<\/p>\n

    Very complex and nuanced, unline some other more simplistic Barrel variations at competing Polynesian restaurants of the mid-century. This is a signature trait of Don the Beachcomber cocktails. The equally complex version served at Steve Crane’s Kon-Tiki chain (featured in Beachbum Berry Remixed<\/em><\/a>), was likely a riff on Donn Beach’s original.<\/p>\n

    This recipe is likely very similar the original version that first appeared in the 1940s. Opened in 1962, the Las Vegas restaurant in the Sahara Hotel was the Don the Beachcomber brand’s fourth location (following Hollywood, Chicago and Palm Springs). According to Tim “Swanky” Glazner<\/a> – author of Mai-Kai: History and Mystery of the Iconic Tiki Restaurant<\/em><\/a> as well as the upcoming Searching for Don the Beachcomber<\/em><\/a> – the head mixologist from the Hollywood flagship since 1937 worked on-site in Las Vegas to make sure the cocktails were perfect.<\/p>\n

    \"An<\/a>
    An image shared at Tiki-a-Go-Go in April 2024 shows new Rum Barrel mugs from Don the Beachcomber and Tiki Farm. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Mixing, ingredient notes<\/B><\/p>\n

    Beachcomber’s Rum Barrel was featured in April 2024 on the Make and Drink vlog<\/a> on YouTube.<\/p>\n